Currently a number of solutions exist that attempt to improve upon standard cheater bar tie-down winches for use on flatbed trailers. Most of these solutions attempt to utilize the principle of a rotating ratchet tightening mechanism. However, many existing ratcheting solutions suffer from various drawbacks. In some systems a complete ratchet mechanism is manufactured right on the winch hub itself and is tightened by using a winch bar (e.g. a cheater bar). Such a solution is susceptible to failure due in part to the use of neoprene seals that become old and worn over time. These seals are eventually breached allowing lubricant to become hard or seep away (such seals may be breached due to exposure to heat from welding the winch in place during installation, bad weather conditions, or the rigorous daily use these winches receive on a continuous basis). Such an integrated ratchet mechanism includes more sensitive moving parts and is thus more likely to fail, wear out, seize up or malfunction during regular operation thus rendering the entire winch useless and requiring total replacement of the unit. In cases when straps become misaligned when in use or frozen (when wet) to the rotating cylinder or when excess tightening puts pressure between the winch cylinder and the holding bracket, this type of ratcheting mechanism cannot reverse to solve the problem. Such winches having integrated ratcheting mechanisms can also be very expensive to manufacture and to purchase, and carry a limited warranty.
Other solutions exist that allow for ratcheting of the winch by use of a standard external ratchet tool. These tools may have an advantage over the simple cheater bar 4 hole insert, but are cumbersome, loose fitting (thus requiring pins or bolts that can become worn or lost) and take more time when securing to the winch. Some winches are made with a square socket hole on one end for receiving a ratchet wrench but are not safe and secure when using a wrench. The socket hole is made shallow with a closed bottom end that usually does not let the insert square of the wrench to fully extend to its purposed length. The closed bottom end of the socket hole also makes the socket hole more susceptible to the collection of debris.
It would be desirable to have a winch device that allows for relatively faster and simpler operation than is possible with standard cheater bar type tie-down winch devices without suffering the drawbacks of known ratcheting tie-down winch devices. Therefore, there currently exists a need in the industry for an improved cargo tie-down winch device.